Every week we’re bringing you recommendations for great movies or TV shows streaming on Netflix. This week’s selection is…
“The Guild” Starring Felicia Day, Sandeep Parikh, Jeff Lewis, Robin Thorsen, Amy Okuda, and Vincent Caso; Created and written by Felicia Day.
“The Guild” was originally published online as a web series with episodes ranging from three to twelve minutes. Each season consists of twelve episodes save for season one which only has ten. On Netflix the individual webisodes are smashed together into one long piece ranging from forty-five minutes to an hour.
The story follows Codex, real name Cyd Sherman (Day) an addict of a MMORPG known as “The Game.” Through a series of web cam recordings and real time footage we watch her attempt to navigate real life and balance it with her life online. The series lampoons gaming addiction and the unique relationships that can form online.
There are six total seasons available on Netflix and Day confirmed in an interview that the series is concluded. It’s one of those shows I long for more of and continually go back to. For my money it’s Day’s best performance. Her performance on “Supernatural” is great, she’s always a welcome addition when she appears in an episode but she deserves to helm her own ship and she does so perfectly in “The Guild.”
Joss Whedon also noted “The Guild” as inspiration for “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog in which Day also appears. If that’s not endorsement enough for you, I don’t know what is.
Day isn’t the only thing going for the show however, each of the guild members have distinct characters, each of them enriching the universe and each other. Because of the nature of the episode structure the series evolves rapidly, constantly introducing new characters and situations. Notably in season three the introduction of a rival guild brings a new dynamic and Wil Wheaton as a antagonist. The show eventually takes us into a gaming convention and ultimately the hallowed halls of the headquarters of “The Game.”
If you haven’t watched the series yet, do yourself a favor and jump in. It’s perfect for binge watching over a weekend. There’s a good chance I’ll watch most of it before heading back to Salt Lake Comic Con where it’s worth noting that Felicia Day will be in attendance.
“The Guild” is also available from the official series website or on the Geek and Sundry YouTube channel.